Adelphi Cornerstone

First, a quick reminder that Alumni Hall originally was built as three structures: Gnothautii in the east wing, Alumni Hall in the middle, and Adelphi in the west wing. Three cornerstones were laid in separate ceremonies. We’ve already mentioned one of these, when President Benjamin Harrison came to Knox for the Alumni Hall cornerstone ceremony.

Today, we look back at the laying of the Adelphi stone. There was no U.S. president at this ceremony, but still, it wasn’t exactly low-key. There was a large procession of people that included Knox President Newton Bateman and other dignitaries riding in a four-wheeled carriage, soldiers from Battery D, the Marine Band, and men from the Adelphi literary society. The newspaper Coup d’Etat described the scene this way: “The procession moved around the Courthouse Square and on reaching the Seminary [modern-day Whiting Hall], the boys fell back to give the place to the L.M.I. girls who, having been previously invited, attended in full. There were sixty of them.” L.M.I. — Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Society — was a women’s literary society on campus.

Once the procession reached the Knox campus, buglers played, a prayer was recited, and an Adelphi quartet crooned a welcome song. The Adelphi president introduced George Appleton Lawrence, an 1875 Knox grad who became a respected lawyer, financier, and Knox trustee for more than 40 years. “An auspicious day has dawned for the old Adelphi,” he said. Then he grabbed a trowel, placed it in the mortar, and adjusted a tin box with various mementos, including the Adelphi Constitution, a list of members’ names, and the Adelphi bell.

Other highlights of the ceremony included a 10-round cannon salute, remarks from 1885 Knox graduate H. Mark Gilbert, a performance of the Adelphi song, and, finally, a whole lot of cheering. There were three cheers for Knox, three for the L.M.I., three for Gnothautii, and three for Adelphi.